Controls for resolving product and action domain names

Abstract

Systems and methods for resolving domain names to web content include controls for configuring servers, such as DNS servers, reverse proxy servers, and web servers, to efficiently route resource requests containing domain names in the domains of action gTLDs. The controls implement a domain naming framework that combines domain name labels, such as a SLD with a TLD, to create object+action domain names according to standard domain naming conventions. The SLD may be or match a record in a product identification scheme, which may be a known product identifier for which the web server has and can serve web resource content. A primary DNS server can be configured to route all traffic to the action gTLD, regardless of the content of the SLD, to a particular web server, obviating the need for conventional registration of domain names that use the gTLD.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for serving web resource data to a client device, the system comprising:
 a first domain name system (DNS) server in electronic communication with the client device via an electronic communication network and configured to receive resource requests containing a uniform resource locator (URL),   the URL comprising a generic top level domain (gTLD) that is associated with an action desired by a user of the client device,   the URL further comprising a second level domain (SLD) that identifies an object on which the user desires to perform the action;   controls implemented on the first DNS server and configuring the first DNS server to, responsive to receiving a resource request containing the SLD and the gTLD from the client device, route the resource request to a first content server; and   controls implemented on the first content server and configuring the first content server to, responsive to receiving the resource request:
 compare the SLD to a plurality of identifiers in an identification scheme, the identifiers each being associated with a data identifier; and 
 responsive to a determination that the SLD matches one of the identifiers, return the web resource data identified by the data identifier associated with the identifier that matches the SLD. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the gTLD is a verb. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the SLD is a noun. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the identification scheme is a product identification scheme, and wherein the identifiers are product identifiers. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controls implemented on the first DNS server comprise a resource record index containing exactly one routing record, the routing record comprising a universal wildcard configuring the first DNS server to route all resource requests containing the gTLD to the first content server. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the controls implemented on the first content server comprise a routing table associating each of the identifiers with one of the data identifiers. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the first content server is a web server having access to a data store containing the web resource data. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the first content server is a reverse proxy server, and wherein the routing table further associates each of the identifiers with one of a plurality of second content servers. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein returning the web resource data comprises obtaining the web resource data from the second content server associated with the identifier that matches the SLD. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controls implemented on the first DNS server comprise a resource record index containing a plurality of routing records each comprising one of a plurality of partial wildcards, each of the partial wildcards being associated in the routing record with the first content server or another content server. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the partial wildcard is a syntax of a product identification scheme. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the partial wildcard is a partial product identifier combined with a wildcard operator. 
     
     
         13 . A system for serving web resource data to a client device, the system comprising:
 a first domain name system (DNS) server in electronic communication with the client device via an electronic communication network and configured to receive resource requests containing a uniform resource locator (URL),   the URL comprising a generic top level domain (gTLD) that is associated with an action desired by a user of the client device,   the URL further comprising a second level domain (SLD) that identifies an object on which the user desires to perform the action; and   controls implemented on the first DNS server and configuring the first DNS server to, responsive to receiving a resource request containing the SLD and the gTLD from the client device, return to the client device an IP address for a first content server configured to perform the action.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the controls configure the first DNS server to return the IP address for the first content server regardless of the SLD in the URL. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the first DNS server is a root server. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the gTLD is a verb describing the action. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the SLD matches one of a plurality of product identifiers in a product identification scheme. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the controls further configure the first DNS server to compare the SLD to one or more partial wildcards, each partial wildcard comprising a portion of one of the product identifiers, and at least one of the partial wildcards being associated with the IP address of the first content server.